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Abstract
Background: The Australasian Cochrane Centre and the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing have embarked on a collaborative initiative to encourage and support evidence-based approaches to policy making, using Cochrane reviews.
Cochrane reviews have the potential to help policy makers identify important effects of health care and inform a research agenda. However finding relevant reviews, and having the time and skills to interpret and apply the results, presents a challenge to many policy makers. The Policy Liaison Initiative was established to address these challenges.
Objective: To assist policy makers use The Cochrane Library for informing decisions and setting an evidence-based research agenda by maintaining a dedicated web site and preparing summaries of Cochrane reviews that: "identify interventions for which there is insufficient evidence to support or refute their use, "list interventions shown to be effective or harmful and provide a vehicle for the Department to feed back to the Centre areas of research required for current policy priorities.
Methods: A validated questionnaire [1] was used to collect baseline data on knowledge, attitudes and current use of evidence by policy makers in the Department of Health and Ageing. Barriers to the use of evidence were assessed and the findings used to refine the design of support and resources. Policy makers will be resurveyed at the completion of the project to assess the impact of the initiative.
The Department of Health and Ageing provides funding to produce a web site that includes summaries of new and updated Cochrane reviews in National Health Priority Areas. Conclusions from reviews are summarised and a list of research gaps produced to aid decision making by policy makers and inform research. Information on Cochrane activity in each National Health Priority Area is included on the website. Web-based material is complemented by other support: bulletins - listing new and updated reviews, seminars, workshops and a helpdesk service. Important policy questions are collated and disseminated to Cochrane review groups to help identify priority reviews.
Results: Twenty nine policy makers returned questionnaires. Most respondents believed that evidence-based practice could help with their decision making (79%) and that they needed to increase the use of evidence in their work (79%). Lack of time and skills were the most frequently ranked barriers (68% of all responses).
By March 2004, 162 summaries of reviews covering editions 4/2002 - 3/2003 of The Cochrane Library had been completed and disseminated to staff on the dedicated website. Reviews have been incorporated into policy initiatives and the impact of these summarized on the web site as a method of feedback.
Conclusions: The Policy Liaison Initiative has the potential to increase the use of Cochrane reviews to inform evidence-based approaches to health policy and the setting of research agendas.
Acknowledgements: This project is funded by a grant from the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing.
References: 1. Jette DU, Bacon K, Batty C, Carlson M, Ferland A, Hemingway RD, et al. Evidence-based practice: Beliefs, attitudes, knowledge and behaviours of physical therapists. Phys Ther. 2003;83(9):786-805.
Cochrane reviews have the potential to help policy makers identify important effects of health care and inform a research agenda. However finding relevant reviews, and having the time and skills to interpret and apply the results, presents a challenge to many policy makers. The Policy Liaison Initiative was established to address these challenges.
Objective: To assist policy makers use The Cochrane Library for informing decisions and setting an evidence-based research agenda by maintaining a dedicated web site and preparing summaries of Cochrane reviews that: "identify interventions for which there is insufficient evidence to support or refute their use, "list interventions shown to be effective or harmful and provide a vehicle for the Department to feed back to the Centre areas of research required for current policy priorities.
Methods: A validated questionnaire [1] was used to collect baseline data on knowledge, attitudes and current use of evidence by policy makers in the Department of Health and Ageing. Barriers to the use of evidence were assessed and the findings used to refine the design of support and resources. Policy makers will be resurveyed at the completion of the project to assess the impact of the initiative.
The Department of Health and Ageing provides funding to produce a web site that includes summaries of new and updated Cochrane reviews in National Health Priority Areas. Conclusions from reviews are summarised and a list of research gaps produced to aid decision making by policy makers and inform research. Information on Cochrane activity in each National Health Priority Area is included on the website. Web-based material is complemented by other support: bulletins - listing new and updated reviews, seminars, workshops and a helpdesk service. Important policy questions are collated and disseminated to Cochrane review groups to help identify priority reviews.
Results: Twenty nine policy makers returned questionnaires. Most respondents believed that evidence-based practice could help with their decision making (79%) and that they needed to increase the use of evidence in their work (79%). Lack of time and skills were the most frequently ranked barriers (68% of all responses).
By March 2004, 162 summaries of reviews covering editions 4/2002 - 3/2003 of The Cochrane Library had been completed and disseminated to staff on the dedicated website. Reviews have been incorporated into policy initiatives and the impact of these summarized on the web site as a method of feedback.
Conclusions: The Policy Liaison Initiative has the potential to increase the use of Cochrane reviews to inform evidence-based approaches to health policy and the setting of research agendas.
Acknowledgements: This project is funded by a grant from the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing.
References: 1. Jette DU, Bacon K, Batty C, Carlson M, Ferland A, Hemingway RD, et al. Evidence-based practice: Beliefs, attitudes, knowledge and behaviours of physical therapists. Phys Ther. 2003;83(9):786-805.